iPhone 5 in India: A look at Airtel, Aircel postpaid, prepaid plans

iPhone is in India and so are the special plans. Like the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5 is being offered by Airtel and Aircel. Keeping with the tradition, there are no subsidies on the Rs. 45,500 price tag, but both operators are offering a bunch of special plans to woo prospective customers.

Of course, you are not limited to buying an iPhone 5 from Airtel or Aircel - you can walk into one of the many electronic chains that are selling the iPhone 5 and pick up a unit, while sticking to your current plan. Since the iPhone 5 takes the new nano-SIM, you should check with if your current operator has nano-SIMs in stock or in worse case scenario, cut your regular/ micro-SIM into a nano-SIM - look up the Internet for instructions (caution advised).

Back to the operators. While Aircel is offering only a single postpaid plan (a very attractive one at that), Airtel has multiple postpaid options. Both operators have also shared multiple prepaid plans. It's worth noting that all iPhone 5 units being sold in the country (including the ones by Airtel and Aircel) are factory unlocked i.e. you are free to use it with any GSM operator anywhere in the world.

With simple top up options starting at Rs 396, get upto 15 GB data usage on 3G and 2G, along with additional benefits on calling and SMSing.

Recharge

Rs. 396

Rs. 696

Rs. 996

Minutes

500 Minutes A2A* (Local + National Minutes)

1000 Minutes A2A* (Local + National Minutes)

1000 Minutes A2A* (Local + National Minutes)

SMS

1000 SMS A2A* (Local + National)

1500 SMS A2A* (Local + National)

2000 SMS A2A* (Local + National)

Data

3 GB Data 3G/2G

7GB Data 3G/2G

15GB Data 3G/2G

Validity

30 Days validity

30 Days validity

30 Days validity

*Aircel to Aircel

Aircel - Postpaid Plan

Pay nothing for the first 12 months and get up to 500 mins of calling, 500 SMS and 1GB data usage, absolutely free, per month.

Plan benefits

Rental for first 12 months*

Rs.0

Free Minutes A2A** per month (Local & National)

500

Free Data (3G/2G) per month

1 GB

Free SMS A2A** per month (Local & National)

500

**Aircel to Aircel

* Post 12 months the rental would be Rs.399 After above free usage is over all local & STD calls will be charged at 1p/sec, SMS rates for local, national and international would be Rs.1, Rs.1.5 & Rs.5 respectively. Applicable data charges would be 10p/10kb.